by Max Marbut
Staff Writer
“We want people to say, ‘gosh, have you been to eat at AT&T Tower?’”
That’s the reason behind a competition conducted to redesign the food service area on the second floor of the Downtown office building at 301 W. Bay St., said Pam Smith, representative for owners Elad National Realty.
Smith turned the redesign effort into a competition among students of interior design enrolled at the Art Institute of Jacksonville and Florida State College at Jacksonville.
In April, eight two-student teams visited the site to develop their impressions of the space and its elements, and then they took to their drawing boards to create their concepts for what the space could be.
Following the students’ presentations and an evaluation by a jury, including architects and credentialed designers, the concept submitted by Michael Coats and Melissa Waldeck from the Art Institute of Jacksonville was awarded the first-place prize of $3,000.
Rachel Durante and Holly Califano, also studying at the institute, were the runners-up and received a $1,500 award.
Smith said the judges were impressed by the theme of the Coats and Waldeck concept to bring nature inside the building. One of the focal points is a large, tree-like structure in the dining area.
Its design serves two purposes, said Catherine Pleiss, art institute academic director of interior design.
“It has a lighting element, but it’s more like a canopy. The space is so cavernous, the design brings down the volume,” she said.
Pleiss said design students often participate in competitions as a way to gain real-world experience to complement what they learn in the classroom.
Unlike the real world, the students did not have to work within a budget, but Smith cautioned them when the competition began. “We’re not looking for Cirque du Soleil,” she said.
“I think in a project like this, you always think about budget. That’s the art of design, to find ways to achieve a certain look and spend less money,” said Pleiss.
Smith said the design competition developed a host of ideas for the renovation and some of the concepts from all of the entries may well be part of the final product.
She anticipates that the transition could start later this year.
Some of the space on the floor will be redefined as areas for business meetings, seminars and social functions for tenants and the public.
Part of the enhancement program is a new concept for the menus and services that will be available after the redesign. Smith said she is talking to several food service operators on the corporate and local levels.
“We’ll be offering Downtown a higher level of food service. It’s part of our ongoing effort to reposition the building in the market and improve the amenities for our tenants,” she said.
In addition to a more upscale selection of breakfast and lunch options, catering also is part of the plan.
“We think it’s an opportunity to market more evening and weekend events,” said Smith.
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